The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1887-12-08
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

The President has sent his annual mes
sage to Congress. Il Is in keeping with
all other State papers that have emaHated
from our wise Chief Executive. The
opening words of the message deal with
the subject that is uppermost IN the minds
OF the people. The President does not
eudeavor to evade the great question of
cax reduction. but ia the first sentence
enters into its discussion. and declares
that the present taxation is IAN indefensi
bla extortion and q culpable betrayal Of
american fairness ard justice. These
are strong words, but only strong words
can aptly describe the injustice OF exces-
silely taxing the industry and enterprise
OF the people The President goes on 10
sax that this wrong, ike other wrongs,
mulriplies brood of evil consequences
Present action in the part Of Congress IS
urged The using Of portion OF the sur
plus to buy government bonds and apply
TO the sinking fund is reviewed ana it Is
shown that. notwithstanding these opera
tions and expedients of the Treasury De
partment, distress in business Was only
temporarily relieved. It is estimated that
on the both day of June next the surplus
will be S140. 900, 900. 1t is now SO, 25s,
101 10 The President does not think
that the proper way TO reduce the surplus
Is to continue to buy bonds at premium,
or 10 make extravagant appropriations.
The first way is open to he objection that
the bonds are not matured, and that the
government would be at the will Of the
holders of the bonds. Unnecessarily large
appropriations are Objectionable because
they stimulate a habit Of reckless improyi-
dence not in the least consistent with the
mission of our people or the high and
beneficent purposes of our government.
The President dwells upon the gravity
Of the situation and declares that the past
neglect of Congress has taxed to the ut
most all the authority and expedientS
within executive control. He thus warns
Congress and says IF disaster results
from the continued inaction OF Congress
the responsibility must rest where i prop
trly belongs" He admits that the situa
Is fraught with danger, and says that II
grows ''out Of perfectly palpable and
apparent cause constantly reproducing
the same alarming circumstances con
gested national treasury and depleted
monetary condition in the business Of the
country. It need hardly be stated that
while the present situation demands
remedy We can only be saved from Ike
predicament in the future by the remcva
Of its cause"
How shall taxation be reduced: The
President says by AT ONCE revising anc
amending the present tariff laws 1.-THE
vicious, inequitable and illogical source o.
unnecessary taxation" He does not thlnl
that the internal revenue tax ought to b'
abolished, and says that nothing IS 50 vel
able to bear the burden without hardship
as the articles taxed by the internal reye
nue. laws
THE ONLY WAY out of the present gray
situation, then according to the President
is to revise the Tariff. He shows that b,
the operations of the present Tariff al
consumers pay the amount OF the du1y
whether the articles consumed are import
ed or made in the United States. This !
what is called Protection to home manu-
facturers The President says that II
the read iustment of our tariff the inter
csts Of American labor engaged IN manu-
facture should be carefully considered a
well as the preservation of our manufac
lures" With this premise, follows fu
and clear discussion of the tariff question
Those who demand ''protection for our II
fant industries are ridiculed, and th
President says ''we are in the midst {
centennial celebrations, and with becon
ing pride, we rejoice in American skill an
ingenuity, in American energy ana enter
prise, and in the wonderful natural at
vantages and resources developed by OF
countrys natural growth. ''Centennl;
infants" An infant one hundred yeal
old is rather queer being.
Without affectation or hypocrisy, IL
President says that American labor is el